Embarking

Criminal Shion. You stand accused of the murder of Lord Genshin. Do you have anything to say in your defense?

......

No? But then, you never were one for explanations, were you? Why someone supposedly as loyal as you would even... Never mind. It doesn't matter now.

Let us proceed with the execution.

(A fitting end...)

So this is the Izana of your world, huh? It's not so different, really.

Are you disappointed?

No, just makin' an observation.

I'm gonna keep travelin' a while longer, and I thought it'd be fun to compare your world with mine, y'know?

Make sure to visit the next time you pass through. I would be delighted to help you train again.

Now that's dedication, coming all the way here just to spend your time training.

Believe me, it wasn't by choice. He forced me into it.

Hahaha! I heard him gasp when he saw my face and I couldn't help myself.

And of course, Grandfather was over the moon when he heard Shion and I had taken a disciple!

Just so ya know, he kept askin' me if I was sure about havin' you as a master.

Yip?

I was not aware you were here.

It has been a while, Senya. As for you, Kuramaru...

Would you like some dried sardines?

I see... I will take that as a "no."

Don't start sulkin' now. You knew that was gonna happen.

I heard you weren't present at Senya's welcoming banquet that Grandfather hosted. Was that scumbag using you for his own ends again?

......

(Shion had secret orders from Lord Genshin to assassinate King Miglance...)

(The issues may have been resolved in the other world, but not for Shion...)

I've been searching for a new owner for my family's estate, and I've finally found someone suitable.

Why would you want to wash your hands of it? No doubt it's home to countless memories of your late parents.

It is, but...it is no longer a place to which I can return. I must atone for my sins.

...For what happened in the other world?

That as well, yes, but also how I failed in my duty as a samurai to my master.

When I saw the other me confront a god, alone, I thought to myself... I have to face my own destiny. Even if it leads to my death.

You...!

I must take responsibility for my actions. Do not try to stop me.

I'm acutely aware of the fact that I can't, no matter what I say or do.

But...does Akane know of your decision?

I told her the other day when we visited our parents' graves. But it does not mean that I am able to discuss my secret orders openly.

Once I've vacated my parent's estate, I intend to go and pay my respects to Lord Genshin.

Shigure, Aldo. You mustn't attempt to interfere. I mean it.

(Back home I go, for the very last time.)

It's been so long since I was last here.

I remember a time when I'd visit every spring to keep things in order...

There! Clean and tidy.

Hey...

Go on, hit me back if you think you can, shrew!

Hey! I'm a person, not an animal!

*sigh*

Heh...

There's no one to disturb me today. I can focus on cleaning up.

Are you studying, Shion?

No, I'm reading a foreign book Father bought me.

Come, take a look, Akane. See this big castle? That's Miglance Castle. The most important man in the whole of the Western land lives there. And down south here, that's the Remulia Ruins. To the north, there's the green crystal mountains, the dragon's lair. And farthest west is the oldest school...

Hmm...

What's wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?

You're smiling, Shion. You look so happy!

...I suppose so.

You know, one day, I want to go traveling and see the world, just like Father did.

Are you going away?

Oh, uh... No... I'm not going anywhere.

I'm your big brother. I'll always be here to look after you.

In the end, I broke both my promises. Forgive me, Akane. You deserved better.

It's almost your birthday, Shion. Is there anything you'd like?

Daddy's bright red sword! Shion would look so cool with that!

Now, now, Akane. It's Shion's birthday, not yours. Let him decide what he wants for himself.

Anyway, that's a family heirloom. It will be yours in due course.

What's the point, I don't have your skill with a sword, Father.

But you're the coolest, Shion! You can do anything!

Indeed! If you put your mind to it, Shion, you may well become the finest swordsman in the world one day!

Um...

Stop it, both of you! You're putting far too much pressure on poor Shion.

This sword was meant to protect our clan from harm. Even if you choose not to walk the path of the sword, this blade will still keep you safe.

And yet, it failed to protect you, Father.

My parents had an accident while traveling?

Yes. Apparently their ship capsized.

If you ever need anything, the doors of the Fugen Dojo will always be open to you. As your father's master, I promise to look after you in his place.

......

Hmm... I hear that today is your birthday, Shion.

Your parents left you a gift. Would you like to see it?

Huh? I didn't hear anything about any gift...

I'll get it right away. Wait there.

Here.

A black...kimono?

When your father went on a journey to hone his skills as a warrior, he wore this. His travel attire.

Listen to me, Shion. I know it hurts, but your father wouldn't have wanted you to wallow in your sadness. Your grief may have the better of you now...but in time, you will grow strong enough to break free of its grip.

Master... Did I ever truly find that strength?

Hmm. That's the better part done, but...now my clothes are caked in dust and grime...

I am not fit to appear before my lord...

Father's travel attire...

I haven't worn this since I faced that god.

For a final journey unto death, or one leading unto rebirth...

Regardless of what awaits, I must go meet it, and my lord.

Man, I'm beat...

Wonder why Lord Genshin wanted us to carry that thing up to the top of the tower? What d'you think he's up to?

Pfft, probably just another passing fancy of his. And who cares, it's not our problem anymore!

(So Lord Genshin is in the castle tower.)

Ugh! This incense burner was meant to summon the spirit of divine wrath... But this piece of junk isn't doing a thing!

So it won't answer unless I burn some stupid legendary incense? How DARE it be so disrespectful?!

I thought I'd be able to use my natural scumminess to toy with the thing, but no. What a disappointment.

Lord Genshin, I came to speak...

Oh. It's you, Shion.

Good. Perhaps you can provide me with some amusement instead.

Come, tell me what you want. If it's interesting enough, perhaps I'll deign to grant you your wish.

It concerns the secret orders you gave me. I came here to state that I cannot carry them out.

I see, your secret orders...

You want to WHAT?! Good, obedient Shion has taken to defying me?

How could this be? What happened? Did that damned Shigure say something to you?

I merely came to a realization. I lack the necessary qualities to dedicate myself to you. Perhaps I never did.

No, no, no, this doesn't make any sense at all! Have you finally had enough of my harassment?

Have you finally had enough of my harassment? Or disappointed that the spirit of scum never awakened in yourself?

To execute the orders you gave me would risk not only the lives of your people, but of you yourself. I knew this truth, yet shut my eyes to it, as if praying for a storm to pass.

But a man who cannot protect his own master does no deserve to call himself a samurai.

I see...

What you're saying is, you wish to withdraw from your mission in order to avoid my death.

......

Ugh. BORING.

My lord?

This side of you disgusts me, you know that? It DISGUSTS me.

Where's your hate? Your anger? The vulgarity you hide within?

Honestly, it's downright nauseating! What are you, a man or a mouse?

Young and inexperienced though I was, you saw fit to appoint me... Thus have I been able to raise my sister and repay my masters for their boundless kindness.

You are a benefactor to me and my sister both.

*sigh*

Whatever. Go, if you must. My incense burner's more fun than you, anyway.

What...

Aaah! A dragon?!

Who are you?

Even so, he is my lord. No matter his deeds, I owe him my loyalty.

Aaahhh!

Ngh!

Where am I?

That dragon said this was an opportunity for redemption. Then this must be...

......

Back then, I took joy in it. I paid no heed to justice as I swung my sword, drunk on power.

How do I atone for this sin?

"You both," the voice said. Lord Genshin must be here, too. I must find him...

They are many... At this rate...

(If I forget myself and stray from my path, I may not find my way back.) (And then, that dreadful scene could become a reality...)

(Am I still worthy of this life, I wonder?)

......

Still...

As a samurai, my lord's safety must be my sole concern.

Where are you, my lord?

He's close... That way!

Aldo? And the rest of you... What are you doing here? And that specter...is that you, my lord?

Great timin', Shion. Lend us a hand, will ya?

We came to help you, but then we saw that something weird was going on with Genshin...

Friendship...

Or loyalty...

Which do I choose?

Stand down, Shigure!

Shion, why are you getting in our way? Have you forgotten what he's ordered you to do?

Do you want your world to end up like mine?

We have to stop Genshin. Fight with us, Shion.

I cannot.

To protect the lord I am indebted to or to fight alongside my friends is a decision I cannot make.

In which case...

I knew you'd make the right choice, Shion!

No... You misunderstand.

I couldn't choose. I could not allow my friends to become traitors. But neither could I let my lord be laid low. I'm still the same naïve novice I was in my youth.

Even in this fleeting world, you let your conscience bind you.

Stubborn to the last. Very well, if punishment is what you desire, then punishment you shall have.

What are you doing?

We heard a noise and came running! What is going on here?!

Answer us, Shion!

I take full responsibility for this situation.

You're not even going to try to defend yourself? Then you know what awaits you...

Criminal Shion. You stand accused of the murder of Lord Genshin. Do you have anything to say in your defense?

......

No? But then, you never were one for explanations, were you? Why someone supposedly as loyal as you would even... Never mind. It doesn't matter now. Let us proceed with the execution.

A fitting end... One that I am prepared to accept. However...

...Akane. How I wish I could have watched you grow into the warrior I know you will one day become. I hope you will at least allow me to wish for your happiness...

Givin' up already, huh?

...!

Even if the blade breaks, as long as you've got the hilt and the sheath, it can be brought back to life over and over again.

Just like you.

And if this is my punishment, I have no choice but to accept it.

I must atone...

No!

Are you going away?

Yes, I must atone for my sins. To do otherwise would be to set a poor example for you...

You're going up to the sky like Mommy and Daddy? Please don't! Please! I don't want you to go!

Waaagh!

Akane...

Don't worry. I have no intention of breaking my promise.

...I really am a poor excuse for a big brother, aren't I?

The only reason I sought to grow stronger in the first place...was to ensure that you'd never have reason to cry again.

To turn one's back on the enemy is not the samurai way.

Nor is turning one's back on one's own actions.

So I don't want punishment, nor do I want forgiveness. In order to atone for my sins... I must bear their burden until my last breath.

Shion!

All of you are here... And I see this time you're real.

Is Lord Genshin safe?

He is. He was unconscious when we got here, but he's unharmed.

And...I'm sorry. We were so worried about you, we ignored what you said and followed you anyway.

Though it looks like ya didn't need help this time.

Well, it doesn't do for a master to be rescued by his disciple time and time again. You fought well, Shion.

Truth be told, you all helped me more than you know.

But we've only just got here! We haven't even done anythin' yet.

Don't worry, you don't need to understand. More importantly...

Blue dragon, you know my answer.

Huh? It suddenly started raining...

Whaddya mean? You're not plannin' on floodin' the whole country, are ya?

Then you are committed to this course.

In which case, I shall not attempt to sway you with words. My sword shall speak for me.

Defying a god now, are we? Perhaps you are more like your other self than you realize.

I finally know what I must do! I will use this blade to sever my fate!

What are you saying...?

You are not Seiryu.

My sword trembled when you appeared.

And you called me "master." You are the Red Masamori, the sword that protects my clan.

You're not Seiryu? Then why do you look like that?

Then your world had an equivalent of the revenants and their creators?

Another question. Why'd you do this?

I think I understand. You sought to save Shion, didn't you?

The man's so hard-headed, you would think it was made of stone.

He'd punish himself forever if he could.

Sinners deserve to be punished.

That said...I have no need of your punishment.

I will not turn a blind eye to the dark urges within.

I will find a way to fight them, and to walk the path of the samurai.

See how loved you are, Shion?

It is the sword of my clan. It is not bound to me, but to my bloodline.

Ugh, you obstinate man.

So where exactly are ya plannin' on goin'?

Tch. Discerning little brat, aren't you?

My lord...my sword showed you great disrespect. If it be your wish, I will accept appropriate punish...

OoohHHH... The curse...the curse of Seiryu...is crushing my heart...

What?!

He's fakin' it. Honestly, Aldo, how can ya be so gullible?

Ugh, why'd you have to go and ruin my fun, you damned brat?! Learn to read the room! Seeing his face racked with guilt as he realizes he's failed to protect his master would have been the ultimate pleasure!

Only you would wanna see somethin' like that.

Y'know, somehow, you're even worse than the other Genshin. Didn't think that was even possible...

(Man, I feel like an idiot for gettin' so worked up to meetin' him.)

Anyway, Shion...

You're fired.

So be it. For my disloyalty I do not even deserve the honor of ritual suicide.

I didn't say anything about dying, you lunatic!

You know the thing about you people? You're always willing to die so easily. You really ought to value your own life more!

Genshin...

As much as I love to keep tormenting you, it kinda loses its appeal if you go and die on me.

......

If you aren't honoring me with death, then why did you say those words before?

Because I'm bored of you! So mind-numbingly BORED.

You're way too serious, and you just can't take a joke. Most people would get angry and come for my head, but not you. Oh, no. You just stand there like a lemon. And what's the point in bullying you if I don't get any reaction? It's no fun at all!

So you're fired. From this moment forth, you are no longer my vassal. You're free to go wherever you like.

......

Well, I'd better go look for my next toy. This time, I'll get a nice, obedient one that'll react the way I want it to.

So facing the dragon's wrath has changed nothing...

In a strange way, I almost respect him for being such a scumbag through and through.

Well, you did say you wanted to part ways with Genshin... So I guess mission accomplished! What will ya do now?

I have a few things in mind. I will let you know once I've decided.

Y'know, there's still no news from Shion.

Aldo! Senya! It's an emergency!

Akane? What's wrong?

It's Shion... He's...he's embarked on a journey of death!

WHAT?

Wait. You left out the most important part. Look how anxious you made poor Aldo.

Shion left this letter behind.

Since when did "I'll contact you" mean "I'll leave you a letter and sneak off while your back's turned"?

Honestly, some master I have...

Well, let's see what he has to say...

"I've decided to leave Garulea that I might take time to reflect on who I am and what I've done."

"I'll leave everything to Shigure. Let his words be as my words, and do what he says."

"Spare no thoughts for me. Live your lives as if I were dead."

You see?! We could already be too late! For all we know, he's already taken his own life!

Relax, Akane. I'm sure he's alive and well.

But trust Shion to be so stupidly ambiguous about it.

If he's planning to leave Garulea, he'll have to go by way of the harbor.

Then that's where we go, too! To the harbor, quick!

Are you boarding the ship yourself? Or are you seeing somebody off?

I plan to travel to the western continent.

There in the outside world, I will embark on a journey of self-discovery.

Like some kinda warrior training mission or something?

Yes, I intend to travel the world and hone my skills, as my father did before me.

Ah, what I wouldn't give for your youth! Well, good luck, young samurai!

Shion!

Thank goodness we caught you in time!

Akane... What are you all doing here?

You gave us no choice! Like we'd let you disappear without saying a word.

I left you a letter...

*sigh*... I've been called a fool many times, but at least I'm not an idiot like you may well be.

There's no difference between a fool and an idiot. Why are you taking pride in being called one instead of the other?

Either way, ya sure are actin' like both those things right now.

Ngh...

What did you mean, we should think of you as dead?

Are you looking for a place to die?

In a sense, perhaps.

It's just, when we were traveling in the other world, I realized: travel is like a ritual of farewell to the past.

As I travel, I will change. And in that process, this "me" will die.

Oh, that right?

I swear, you're the only person on the planet who'd think to put it that way! Don't you realize that any SANE person would assume you intended to die literally, not figuratively?

You may not care much about yourself, but others do! Maybe think about their feelings first?

Shion, you will come back this time, won't you?

It's going to be a long journey, but I promise I'll return.

This continent is home to you, my friend, and my novice disciple. I can't abandon you all forever.

So you finally admit we're friends, do you?

I admit nothing. It's you that said it, not me.

You know, it's things like this that make me question the strength of our bonds...

Your novice disciple, eh?

Just you wait. Next time we meet, the student'll have become the master.

And I'll get stronger too! I'll be the superest of all superhumans, far super than you! And there'll be no need to worry about me, 'cause I'll beat every opponent that comes my way!

To be honest, I'm more worried about the trouble you'll cause others...

Rest assured I'll be here to rein her in until you return.

Hey! I'm not some kinda animal!

Grow strong and surpass your big brother, Akane. Make me proud.

I will!

We'll be setting sail shortly. If you're joining us, it's now or never.

I'll be right there.

Wait. Take this.

Your hat? But why?

I'm leavin' it in your care.

Once your travels are over, come and give it back to me. Without forcin' this kinda promise on ya, who's to say ya won't disappear for good?

I would never...

Wouldn't you?

Yeah, it definitely seems like something you would do.

Agreed! You're always disappearing on us, Shion!

You're less reliable than ya think, y'know.

This hat is like...a curse. A curse to force ya home.

Then it is a curse I gladly accept.

Until we meet again... Farewell.

Hm? This presence...

You...

Would you like some dried sardines?

......

You liked that, did you?

What are you doing?

You want to come with me?

...!

Haha, well, be my guest! Let's go on a boundless journey, you and I, just going wherever the road takes us.